gài bẫy
Definition
- Verb:
- To lay a snare; to set a trap: The primary meaning refers to the physical act of preparing a hidden device or mechanism to catch an animal or person.
- To scheme; to plot a trap: An extended, figurative meaning describing the act of devising a secret or deceptive plan to harm, entrap, or trick someone.
Usage Examples
Verb (literal):
- Người thợ săn gài bẫy trong rừng. (The hunter set a trap in the forest.)
- Họ gài bẫy chuột ở góc bếp. (They laid a mousetrap in the kitchen corner.)
Verb (figurative):
- Đối thủ đang cố gắng gài bẫy để ông ấy mắc sai lầm. (The opponent is trying to set a trap for him to make a mistake.)
- Cảnh sát phát hiện âm mưu gài bẫy của băng tội phạm. (The police uncovered the gang's plot to lay a trap.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase is often used in contexts involving strategy, competition, or conflict, where one party attempts to gain an advantage by creating a deceptive situation.
- It implies intentionality, cunning, and concealment. The "trap" () can be physical, verbal, legal, or digital.
Variants and Related Words
Bẫy (n): A trap, snare.
- Cái bẫy đã sập. (The trap sprung.)
Gài (v): To set, to place, to fix something in position, often with a connotation of concealment or preparation. It is the action verb combined with bẫy.
- Anh ấy gài mìn trên đường. (He laid mines on the road.)
Synonyms
- To set a trap: The most direct synonym.
- To ensnare: To catch in or as if in a trap.
- To entrap: To deceive or trick into a compromising act.
- To ambush: To lie in wait to attack (similar in the concept of a concealed attack).
Related Idioms
Gài bẫy chữ nghĩa: To set a verbal trap; to use tricky wording to entrap someone in conversation or a contract.
- Luật sư cẩn thận với các điều khoản gài bẫy chữ nghĩa. (The lawyer was careful with the contract clauses that set verbal traps.)
Mắc bẫy / Sập bẫy: To fall into a trap.
- Công ty non trẻ đã mắc bẫy của đối thủ. (The young company fell into the rival's trap.)
verb
-
to lay a smare; to set a trap
